When I first stumbled upon the Steam page for REPO, I was greeted by an unsettling image—a creepy emoji with jagged teeth and hollow eyes. It wasn’t exactly a welcoming sight. However, a few rounds into the game, it became clear why it’s such a hit with both streamers and multiplayer fans. REPO takes the addictive concept of Lethal Company, a popular co-op game from 2024, and spices things up with some clever twists. Even though parts of REPO might feel familiar, it demonstrates how a few tweaks to an established formula can truly transform the gaming experience into something fresh and enjoyable.
Developed by the Swedish studio Semiwork, the most noticeable tweak is swapping out Lethal Company’s iconic characters for quirky little bean-shaped robots. Watching these googly-eyed characters bumble around after meeting a hilarious demise, all from the vantage point of the observer mode, is an experience in itself.
REPO, short for Retrieve, Extract, and Profit Operation, invites up to six players into eerie settings, like dilapidated buildings or whimsical wizarding schools, to loot as much as they can and escape unscathed. If a robot meets its end, the game offers a bit of a lifeline: a teammate can grab the robot’s head and bring it back to a designated extraction spot, allowing you to jump back into the action.
The moment you see a clip or catch a stream, the charm of these bean robots is apparent. They’re endearingly silly, capable of squishing their bodies down until they resemble tiny bean babies, which only adds to the fun.
Naturally, this gameplay style feeds into the creation of memes and video clips. Fans have even started crafting original animations and artwork focused on these beloved bean characters.
Threats lurk in REPO’s shadows, from Silent Hill-esque mannequins to chuckling gnomes, and a blind vigilante armed with a shotgun. Yet, the biggest danger often comes from your own teammates, especially when they wrestle with REPO’s playful physics. Handling loot varies from easy-to-carry trinkets to delicate pieces that shatter at the slightest slip. The heavy items pose the greatest challenge; each bump against a corridor or another player chips away at your potential earnings, a consequence displayed in glaring numbers on screen.
This dynamic breeds a unique tension. Some of the funniest moments don’t stem from the monsters, but from the struggle of maneuvering valuable loot back to safety. Watching teammates painstakingly rotate a cumbersome object through a doorway, with tempers flaring every time they falter, is endlessly entertaining. The scene only heightens when those pesky gnomes invade and start causing chaos or a colossal creature appears, turning everything into pandemonium.
Monsters in REPO may not be as deadly as those in similar games, but they add relentless pressure and intriguing twists. Everything might be running smoothly until a teammate falls victim to a Spewer, which latches onto their face. This unfortunate victim ends up spewing streams of caustic vomit, potentially ruining valuable loot and inflicting massive monetary damage right when it’s most inconvenient.
Since its release at the tail end of February, REPO has received an “overwhelmingly positive” reception on Steam, boasting over 80,000 reviews. The game’s top Twitch clips highlight streams in multiple languages, underscoring its global appeal. Though still in early access, Semiwork is already planning the game’s first content update. Meanwhile, the fan community is getting creative with mods, introducing entertaining twists like increasing lobby sizes or adding quirky hats. By putting a fun spin on a known formula, REPO has become a springtime sensation across streaming platforms and social media.
